Amazon lily - indoor gardening tips; includes sources

Flower & Garden Magazine, April-May, 1993 by Doug Hall

SOME INDOOR PLANTS KNOWN for their spectacular flowers have foliage that is decidedly second-rate. During the many months of the year that the plants aren't in bloom, you're stuck with a pot of leaves that are disappointingly dull -- or even downright ugly.

The Amazon lily is a plant you won't have to hide once the blossoms fade. After displaying its delicate narcissus-like blooms, the plant can hold its own among foliage plants with a dense cluster of broad, dark, glossy leaves.

Still, the flowers are the prize sought by indoor gardeners. The nodding, 3-inch blossoms, like graceful stars on tall stalks, are sweetly fragrant. Individual blooms last only a week, but the cluster of up to six buds opens one or two at a time to prolong the show.

In their native South America, Amazon lilies (Eucharis grandiflora) grow along riverbanks, where their roots never dry and their leaves are constantly bathed in warm, moist air. Their tropical homeland gives a clue as to the type of care the Amazon lily will demand as a houseplant.

Amazon lilies grow from bulbs, and should be potted in a medium that is rich and porous. Excellent drainage is essential. If you are using a packaged potting soil, mix in a handful of coarse sphagnum peat moss. Plant the bulbs with their tips flush with the soil surface. Plant one bulb to a 5-inch pot; three or four bulbs make a nicely full clump in an 8-inch pot.

Keep the bulbs at 75 to 80 degrees to begin growth. Once the plants are up and growing, give them warm temperatures of at least 70 degrees during the day and no cooler than 65 degrees at night. Place them in a bright window, but never in direct sunlight.

Amazon lilies require relative humidity of 40 percent or more -- something that can be difficult for windowsill gardeners to provide. To increase humidity, group plants over a water-filled tray, using pebbles to lift the bottoms of the pots above the water level. Frequent misting of the foliage will also help raise the humidity.

If you give your Amazon lily the constant moisture it is accustomed to in its native environment, it will most likely bloom once a year. Some indoor gardeners, however, force their Amazon lilies to bloom twice or even three times a year by inducing alternate periods of growth and rest.

While the plant is actively growing or blooming, keep the soil quite moist and feed it once a week with a mild water-soluble fertilizer. After it has completed its bloom period, cut back on water, giving it just enough to keep the leaves from withering. Move the plant to a shadier location and do not fertilize it. Continue this rest period for four to six weeks, then return the plant to its bright window and resume its normal water and fertilizer schedule. This will stimulate growth and, eventually, new flower stalks.

Over time, Amazon lilies produce offset bulbs, gradually making the clump of foliage thicker and more luxurious. Older plants have a longer blooming period of up to six weeks. Repot plants in fresh potting soil every three or four years. Established clumps can be divided, although large, potbound plants bloom best. At repotting time, you can start new plants by removing offset bulbs that have at least one leaf. These will reach flowering size in a few years.

Although fairly straightforward in their cultural needs, Amazon lilies are not foolproof. Poorly drained soil can lead to root rot. Air that is too dry causes scorched leaf edges. The plants are sometimes bothered by mealybugs or spider mites; these can be controlled with insecticidal soaps.

Problems aside, the Amazon lily is a delightful addition to any houseplant collection. It's a plant that is handsome whether in or out of bloom.

Editor's note: Sources for Amazon lilies are listed on page 77.